SMITH: Try taking a look at Fall River from two wheels

Biking between New Bedford and Fall River could be a nice biking commute — if there were a safe route between them. You have one of two options, one being Route 6. Route 6 isn’t a bad route if you want to put your life on the line: Very little room on the road with cars zooming in a hurry makes biking not so enjoyable.

I was flying down Pleasant Street when I looked at my watch. I was making good time — just wondered when I got to Rock Street if I would have enough energy to make it up the street without stopping.

This was my late-summer routine, biking home from New Bedford where I worked as a projectionist — a 13.5-mile commute.

My commute would be much shorter if Fall River had a movie theater of its own.

But I digress.

I commuted to work by bike not by choice but of necessity. Having no car, and with regional buses not running after 7 p.m., I had no other option but to use my 17-year-old GT bike to hold on to my paltry income.

Not that I really minded. I was getting back in shape and enjoyed the cool night air. What I did mind were the hazards of biking in a non-biking-friendly region.

Biking between New Bedford and Fall River could be a nice biking commute — if there were a safe route between them. You have one of two options, one being Route 6. Route 6 isn’t a bad route if you want to put your life on the line: Very little room on the road with cars zooming in a hurry makes biking not so enjoyable.

The second choice is Old Fall River Road, which is a more scenic route with pastures, wooded areas and nice neighborhoods. The only problem with that route is it’s poorly lit at night — and it seems those same drivers on Route 6 take that road, too.

Aside from the commute to work, even biking in Fall River has its own hazards and hardships. The constant dodging of debris on the streets from branches, empty discarded nip bottles, broken glass, and potholes can make a simple trip to Stop & Shop an adventure. There is also the issue of parking your bike in the city.

Fall River does not provide its bicyclists comfort in securing their bike in public. The only spot in town that is designated for locking up your bike is at the new courthouse downtown, but I don’t have a court case, so why would I go there?

Being forced to chain my bike to things such as parking meters gave me constant stress. Whether I was shopping for food or researching at the library, I felt uneasy at the thought of my bike not being there when I returned.

When it comes to biking, Fall River is the antithesis of Portland, Ore., where I lived in 2002. Biking in Portland is a way of life and deeply embedded in its culture. Many people have bikes as their only means of transportation. They travel safely in lanes designed for bicyclists on streets.

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There are even streets in Portland where only bikes are allowed and no cars.

Got a flat riding on Portland’s Springwater Bike Corridor or around downtown? No sweat; there are more than 59 bicycle stores and repair shops throughout the city. Fall River? Zero.

Feel like stopping for a bite to eat or sip some gourmet coffee? There are a plethora of food carts, stands and coffee houses that cater to bicyclists and pedestrians alike. Fall River? You’ll be perusing through the streets looking for a Mr. Nick’s truck.

In fact, if you don’t own a bike in Portland, you are viewed as uncool. In Fall River, owning one you’re viewed as a traffic menace.

I often wish that Fall River would open its eyes and be like Portland. Fall River has the potential of having a viable cycling community like Portland, the benefits of which cannot be ignored.

Fall River provides a perfect terrain for all levels of bicyclists: long, flat roads for the novice cyclist and hills for those training for the serious bike tours. Improved health, safer neighborhoods and a boost to the economy are possible in Fall River’s future.

The potential plan by the South Coast Bikeway Committee for a three-mile bike path cutting through the city along the Quequechan River and of a 40-mile path connecting Wareham to Swansea excites me. It is the only proposal that I have heard recently that I truly believe in, knowing what it can provide for the community and region.

Instead of dodging maniacal drivers on Route 6 and discarded hypodermic needles in Fall River’s streets, one can make a safe and clean commute from New Bedford to Fall River and home on designated paths and lanes.

Stressing over bike theft can be replaced with peace of mind over a sandwich and a coffee at Café Arpeggio’s with your bike securely locked to bike racks throughout downtown.

A cycling community means fewer cars motoring on Fall River’s cramped streets and more cyclists commuting to work or for leisure.

A cycling community means business for food cart vendors, outdoor cafes and restaurants. In a nutshell: jobs.

A cycling community means more active people and improved health among them.

Think of it.

Although I no longer work in New Bedford and now own a car, I would still love to bike to Harry’s downtown and grab some breakfast. Or enjoy some exercise and bike to New Bedford and back safely.

In a city like Fall River, where amid the bickering no one is sure what they want for the city and themselves, having a viable biking community can transform not just the landscape, but also the culture of the city for the better.